Multipurpose type buckets for use with front end loaders are known. In general, multipurpose buckets include a back or rearward frame and an opposed shell or movable frame. The back or rearward frame is attached to the loader arms of the front end loader, and the shell or movable frame rotates to provide a bucket for scooping or a pincer for grabbing and lifting items including logs and unbaled silage.
However, multipurpose buckets have not been received with significant commercial success. One reason for this lack of commercial success is the lack of scooping capacity due to the relatively small bucket. Multipurpose buckets are limited in size because of structural integrity reasons. Specifically, because the multipurpose bucket must serve as a pincer to pick up rocks and other hard and heavy objects, the surface forming the floor which serves as a the blades of the pincer must be significantly strengthened. This requires added material, which in turn reduces the carrying capacity of the bucket.
Attempts have been made to improve the usefulness of multipurpose buckets in a farming environment. U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,237 issued to Langenfeld is a multipurpose bucket with teeth on the bottom surface of the bucket. However, this approach does not increase the volume of the bucket. Langenfeld does curve the inner edges of the bucket to enhance the handling of bulky objects while the multipurpose bucket is in the pincer mode. The Langenfeld structure decreases the effective carrying capacity of the multipurpose bucket when operated as a scoop. U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,485, issued to Wilman and U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,844 issued to Campin are yet other approaches to designing multipurpose buckets and also fail to propose a design to increase the volume of the bucket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,557 issued to Moore uses an articulating attachment to a connect standard bucket to a front loader. This may allow quick replacement of the standard bucket with another attachment and is not directed to a multipurpose bucket. The Moore design requires the entire bucket to be removed to attach another attachment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,374,520 B1 issued to Westendorf is a bucket with curved side edges which could increase the volumetric capacity of the bucket. However, this patent is directed solely toward claiming a single purpose standard bucket that can be stacked upon identical buckets for easy transportation.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a multipurpose bucket for a front loader that has an increased carrying capacity. It would also be desirable to provide such a bucket with the ability to attach attachments to it quickly.